Peyton Manning doing what he always does - leading his offense through practice. It was his first full practice in well over a year after missing the entire 2011 NFL season due to a neck injury that costed Manning some serious nerve damage.
Hello all! I'm Will and I'm a recent graduate of Indiana University. I write, joke, and argue sports in my blog about... well, sports.
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May 22, 2012
#18
May 21, 2012
Boston’s Best
As far as the best player on the Celtics… easy: Paul Pierce. For his entire career, he has been the Celtics’ go-to scorer, defender, and overall team player. At 34, Pierce still possesses his soft shooting touch, which Doc Rivers relies on late in games. Without Pierce, no way the Celtics would have won the 2008 NBA Finals.
Many people would go with Rajon Rondo in this category, but without the ability to score the ball, it’s safe to say Pierce is pride and glory of the team.
Anyone want to put up a rebuttal?
May 21, 2012
Heat Big 3
We could all talk about the Miami Heat for hours and hours. But it gets old, it really does. For fans that follow their own team, whether it be their hometown team or some other team, it’s frustrating to listen to all the national media and various critics speak of the Miami Heat on a regular basis.
I don’t necessarily want to voice my opinion on how the Miami Heat could be a better team. My view on professional sports is that each and every franchise should have certain advantages and disadvantages. Each team ought to have an equal opportunity at being successful and winning championships for their fans.
To be quite honest, I’m not a supporter of how Pat Riley and his staff went about forming the future of his team. Done so by signing Chris Bosh, and pressuring LeBron James into producing “The Decision” on ESPN primetime television following the 2009-10 season. Now, the Heat are getting what they asked for.
They formed the “big 3” in South Beach. Last season, they were ousted in The NBA Finals by the Dallas Mavericks. This season, they’re getting tangled up with the Indiana Pacers without Chris Bosh, who is out indefinitely with an abdominal strain. The injury to Bosh is hurting the Heat in a couple of ways. It leaves them without a low-post scorer, shot-blocker, and rebounder. It also leaves all the pressure and scoring options up to James and Dwyane Wade.
In two wins against the Pacers, James and Wade have capitalized on their athletic abilities to score, and score some more. In their two losses, they have not done so. This leads me to believe something needs to change, or else the Heat will never win one, two, three, four… championships. Not gonna happen.
LeBron James is the NBA’s MVP. Dwyane Wade is one of the top players in the world. Bosh is a solid low-post and midrange scorer and rebounder. In order for this team to be successful, the pieces around these three need to step up. I don’t think Mike Miller is the answer behind the 3-point arc, let alone his joke of a defensive presence. They don’t need Juwan Howard and Eddy Curry, both whom are taking up space on the bench.
Every team needs time to develop chemistry and pile up the wins and potentially championships. Take the Oklahoma City Thunder or the Indiana Pacers for example, which have been a work in progress for a few years now. The Thunder have built a team through the draft with Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. I think the Big 3 in Miami are fine, but Pat Riley needs to add better role players if possible, without going over the salary cap. He certainly does not want to move Bosh again and/or Wade, and absolutely doesn’t need to sign the long-time veteran Steve Nash - he’s too old.
May 21, 2012
May 19, 2012
The Heat Big 3? Who is the best current Celtic?
I’ll be answering these questions as well as posting about the Pacers-Heat series. Coming soon!
If the Miami Heat don’t win it all, let alone beat the Pacers, is it time to break up the Big 3? Does the Bosh injury give them a pass? What about trading Wade and Bosh for Dwight Howard then signing Steve Nash? What are your thoughts?
Right now, who is the best player on the Celtics and why? Be careful jumping on the Rondo bandwagon, tough to be the best when you can’t score in crunch time.
May 19, 2012
Player Profile: Joey Votto
In my first player profile, I’ll be highlighting the Canadian-native Joey Votto.
Name: Joseph Daniel Votto
DOB: September 10, 1983
Birthplace: Toronto, Ontario
Sport: Baseball
Position: First base
Bats: L Throws: R
With the 44th overall selection in the 2002 MLB amateur draft, the Cincinnati Reds selected Joseph “Joey” Votto out of high school.
Who knew the young prospect would go on to win the National League Most Valuable Player award, the Lou Marsh Trophy, the Tip O’Neill Award, the Hank Aaron Award, and become a Gold Glover as well as a two-time NL All-Star?
Playing with Class AA Chattanooga in 2006, Votto batted .319 with 22 home runs, 77 runs batted in and 46 doubles. He was voted a minor league all-star by Baseball America.
It was the end of the 2006 season and the beginning of the 2007 season that Votto made his way into the Majors by impressing coaches with his bat and robbing opposing batters of base hits. Joey Votto made his Major League debut on September 4, 2007, going 3-5 with a home run and two runs scored.
In early April 2008, Reds’ skipper Dusty Baker named Votto the permanent starter at first base and Votto capitalized on the opportunity. He went on to smash 24 homers and drive in 84 runs throughout his 2008 campaign. He ended the season leading all National League rookies in Batting Average (.297), hits (156), home runs (24), total bases (266), multi-hit games (42), on-base percentage (.368), and slugging percentage (.506).
After two more stellar seasons in 2009 and 2010, the young stud was awarded with a 3-year, $38 million contract to continue playing for the Cincinnati Reds. After all, he finished the 2010 season batting .324 with 37 homers, 113 RBIs, 36 doubles, and 16 stolen bases - not to mention earning the NL’s MVP honors in just his third season in the majors.
April of 2012 was another rewarding month for Votto. He agreed to a 10-year, $225 million contract extension with the Reds through 2023, including a team option for 2024.
In his latest monumental performance, Joey Votto went 4-5 with 3 home runs and 6 RBIs against the Washington Nationals in a 9-6 victory. He capped off the remarkable game by hitting a walk-off grand slam, thus becoming the only player in Major League Baseball history to hit three home runs, including a walk-off grand slam, in a single game.
May 16, 2012
It’s Their Only Pro Sport
OK, I have loads of respect for the Oklahoma City Thunder. I respect Kevin Durant and think he is an incredible athlete. Same goes for Russell Westbrook. Two young men that can jump out of the gym and play great together.
Sam Presti, Executive Vice President and General Manager, has done a tremendous job of constructing his team. Scott Brooks is a solid head coach.
To my understanding, the Thunder are the only professional sports franchise in the state of Oklahoma. With that being said, I think it’s terrific that the residents of the local community, the state of Oklahoma, and surrounding areas show so much support for their beloved squad.
Despite all of this, I am unsure what to think of tonight’s inside-the-arena scene for game 2 of the Thunder’s Western Conference Semifinals series with the Los Angeles Lakers. Some sort of stripe out or checkerboard sort of look…?
As for the marketing and public relations aspect of it: nicely done. My only rebuttal to this: what are we, in college? Is this a Saturday afternoon college basketball showdown on CBS?
May 16, 2012
Uhhh.... Doug?
The Doug Collins-led Philadelphia 76ers had no answer for the Boston Celtics as the C’s came out in the Wells Fargo Center and shook up Philly in game 3. Boston leads the best-of-seven series 2-1.
May 15, 2012
Sixers Surprise
Safe to say that the Philadelphia 76ers came out Monday night in Boston with a little fire relishing inside.
The third straight game the Sixers have competed in that has been decided by one point went Philly’s way for the second time out of three occurrences. The first one, a 79-78 victory over the Chicago Bulls, muscled Doug Collins’ team into the Eastern Conference Semifinals.
The first game of the Boston Celtics-Philadelphia 76ers Eastern semis meeting went the C’s way, as they came back from being down eight points with just over nine minutes to play to recapture the momentum Philly had stolen in TD Bank Garden.
That didn’t stop Jrue Holiday, Andre Iguodala, and Evan Turner from stealing home-court advantage from the “big three” and the rest of the Celtics in game 2 of the second round of the 2011-12 NBA Playoffs, 82-81. Holiday led the Sixers in scoring with 18 points on 7-15 shooting and nailed a huge trey ball in crunch time to help his squad get the win.
Iguodala and Turner helped out Holiday by posting 13 and 10, respectively. Iguodala was playing with nothing to lose, and the young Turner drove to the basket and put in a circus shot with 40.4 seconds to play, which could provide the former Ohio State product with more momentum heading back to Philadelphia.
Following a 14-0 run by the 76ers after the midway point of the third quarter, Doug Collins preached “poise down the stretch” to his young team. Holiday and Iguodala backed Collins’ coaching in their play and respective post-game interviews.
Holiday on the three-point basket he hit late in the contest: “I felt comfortable shooting it.”
“Better job down the stretch,” said Iguodala, referring to the game 2 win as opposed to the eight-point lead the Sixers blew in game 1.
Despite a questionable, but clear offensive foul committed by Kevin Garnett with less than a minute to play, Philadelphia proved it can win physical playoff games on the road. Charles Barkley noted, “(The offensive) foul on Garnett did not cost Celtics the game.”
The effort put forth by Philadelphia should provide a spark for the 76ers leading into Wednesday night’s game 3 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philly.
May 14, 2012
"Beat LA!"
The series we’re all anticipating. Correct me if I’m wrong, but the Oklahoma City Thunder against the Los Angeles Lakers ought to be a can’t-miss battle in the month of May.
Tonight is Game 1 of the series and OKC is hosting. With the crowd behind them and plenty of rest, I fully believe bodies will be diving for loose balls, big men should control the paint, and of course Kevin Durant and Kobe Bryant will score when they want to score.
Get your popcorn ready to enjoy the show which features the likes of a #2 versus a #3 seed in the west; and as Reggie Miller stated, the Lakers are bringing two seven-footers to the hardwood in their starting five - a rarity in today’s game.
Prediction: I like the Lakers in this series. With their experience and toughness (ahem Metta World Peace), LA’s years of dominance in the playoffs won’t end here.
**Provided is a link to NBA.com’s official series hub for this matchup.
May 14, 2012
[Flash 10 is required to watch video]
High Expectations
19-year old Nationals rookie centerfielder Bryce Harper hit his first career home tonight, a 429-foot blast to dead center. Listen to the call of MASN play-by-play announcer Bob Carpenter.
There’s number one!
And several more hundred to follow! We hope!
Talk about high expectations.
(Source: jo-shuap, via sportspage)
May 12, 2012
The Lakers take on the Denver Nuggets tonight in Game 7 of the first round of the NBA playoffs. It all comes down to tonight. Metta World Peace WILL play after returning from his 7 game suspension. He has not played since April 26th. The Lakers need their bigs to come out strong on defense and offense. Catch the game at 7:30PM PST on TNT/FSW @STAPLES Center. Should be a good one. Enjoy Laker fans!
May 12, 2012
Conference Semifinals: Boston v. Philly
In my attempt at breaking down an intriguing conference semifinal clash between the Boston Celtics and the Philadelphia 76ers, I will outline some key matchups in the series as well as potential X-factors for each squad. I also want to look at how the respective coaches could affect the outcome.
Key matchups:
- Paul Pierce vs. Andre Iguodala: Iguodala (Iggy) is known for his lock-down defense and explosiveness on the fast break. Pierce, as we all know, has the ability to be an unstoppable scorer and when he’s hot, it is hard to vote against the C’s. If Iggy can at least limit the damage Pierce and knock dome some crucial jump shots as he’s been known to do at times, this matchup could be very fun.
- Kevin Garnett vs. Spencer Hawes: Well… we know about KG. Garnett will be Garnett and there isn’t much anyone can do about it. Hawes, meanwhile, must at least stay alert on the defensive end and contribute on the boards (offensively and defensively). Hawes (7’1”) certainly has a nice touch close to the basket and needs to put in 10-15 points each game to equalize Garnett’s numbers.
- Rajon Rondo vs. Jrue Holiday & Lou Williams: Rondo is not as quick as the dynamic 76ers duo, but is a much better passer. It is rare for Rondo to have a bad game overall, but he may not always be in double figures with his scoring. I expect Holiday and Williams to take advantage of their shooting abilities and get out on the break early and often. Advantage: Celtics
X-factors: For the Celtics, I want to say Mickael Pietrus will find his shooting touch after suffering a scary head injury awhile back. I think Evan Turner will open some eyes in this series and mainly because of what he did against the Bulls in their opening series. Hopefully Doc Rivers and his coaching staff watched plenty of film on Turner, because this kid can play and he’s not even close to his peak. Advantage: Philly
Coaches: Doc Rivers (Celtics) and Doug Collins (Sixers) both have plenty of experience both playing and coaching in the NBA. Only one championship exists between the two and it belongs to Rivers when his ‘07-‘08 C’s won the NBA Finals. Collins has much more ice in his veins and shows his excitement on the sidelines night in and night out. It was very noticeable in the series against the Bulls, when the Sixers became just the third #8 seed team in NBA playoff history to knock out a #1 seed. Rivers’ experience gives him the advantage between the two well-respected coaches.
Prediction: It’s a tall order to steal games from the Celtics at the TD Bank Garden. However, if the Sixers can steal one or two on the road, I like Philadelphia winning this series in 7 games.
May 12, 2012
East Coast Beasts
There are two teams that play ball only about an hour away from each other. Technically, it’s just under 40 miles from Baltimore’s Oriole Park at Camden Yards to Washington’s Nationals Park in the nation’s capital. By winning percentage, the Orioles and Nationals are both sitting in the current top five of the Major League Baseball standings.
The ball clubs, two of baseball’s biggest surprises early on, are winning with different strategies but doing so effectively. Manager of the American League’s Baltimore Orioles (21-12), Buck Showalter, has his offense leading the majors with 53 home runs as of Friday, May 11. Compare that to the National League’s Washington Nationals (20-12) and manager Davey Johnson’s club, which has only smacked 25 long balls in the same period of time, and you’re looking at less than half as many homers as the O’s.
So how are the Nationals winning you ask? Pitching. Led by young phenom Stephen Strasburg, who took home the National League’s April Pitcher of the Month honors, the Nationals pitching rotation has opposing hitters caught in a frenzy. This starting rotation that includes Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez, Ross Detwiler, Jordan Zimmermann and Edwin Jackson is sitting at third in all of baseball with a combined 183 strikeouts. The same starting five has an average ERA of 2.27, according to MLB’s official online statistics page.
While we think about what this Washington team could be with the pitching staff it boasts and the potential of the offense, we can compare the Nationals’ pitching to that of the O’s and really see how opposite approaches have been successful thus far into the regular season. The Orioles starting rotation has piled up only 151 Ks and recorded an average ERA of 4.00. Not terrible numbers, but certainly not close to the heat the Nationals are bringing any given night.
Bill Ladson of MLB.com writes that Nationals hitting coach Rick Eckstein is in search of more production from his hitters, despite the firepower of the team’s pitching attack. He’s not necessarily asking them to accomplish what the Orioles offense has, nor put up numbers like the league’s offensive leader in Texas’ Josh Hamilton (17 HRs, 40 RBIs, .407 BA) is, but rather bring more runners home once they get on base.
Everyone knows athletes can go from hot to cold and vice versa, but it’s doubtful the Nationals’ pitching is going to throw in the towel anytime soon. Strasburg fanned 13 batters in his most recent start - May 10 - and Zimmermann (2.29 ERA) is scheduled to take the mound tonight in Cincinnati. Only time will tell if either club is playing ball in October; for now they’re winning and their fans are behind them every step of the way.
May 12, 2012
Junior Seau (1969 - 2012)
Junior Seau, arguably one of the most dedicated defensive players in the history of football, passed away last week. Steve Wyche of the NFL.com writes about the public service held for Seau at Qualcomm Stadium Friday in San Diego.
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